Six Shots, Data Structures, and a Four-in-the-Morning High Joseph Hong the first shot brings confidence. Mise-en-place. You’ve been preparing for this moment for the entire day, going through the motions over and over again. Your surroundings are immaculately messy, a carefully constructed chaos only you can navigate. A blank monitor in front of you, with a couple of motivational quotes stuck to its frame to keep you from breaking
down, surrounded by a stack of textbooks for reference. A keyboard
and mouse to your right, wiped down with a dab of hand sanitizer that leaves them smelling like strawberries, carefully balanced on top of a
mug of questionable liquids and a pile of snacks for late-night munchies. An assortment of writing utensils a little bit above eye level, sorted
by color and size, placed alongside the top of your alcove in a loving
manner—these are your tools of trade, after all. Everything you’ll need
tonight is exactly where you need it to be, and you could probably do this blindfolded. But you won’t of course, because that’s just plain foolish.
Today is about getting things done, not showing off to some nonexistent audience like you usually do when you’re alone. Well, to be honest, it is about showing off—just a little bit. You like a challenge, and this is no
exception: finishing a code in less than three hours. Your professor said
that at most it would take five, and at least it would take three. You might
not be the smartest of the bunch, but you believe yourself to be the most resilient. You crack your knuckles and grin, ready to take on the task in front of you—it stands no chance against your mise-en-place. the second shot makes you realize the true power of mise-en-place. You roll the contents of the shot on your tongue, savoring the sharp taste—the bitterness—
53
